


Give Me Time

by SkellGrim



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Daycare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Dates, Awkward Romance, Child Abuse, Domestic, Eventual Relationships, F/M, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Hate to Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Slow To Update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-03-10 23:49:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13512333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkellGrim/pseuds/SkellGrim
Summary: Gray had enough problems already, and finding two kids saying he’s their father was another problem he didn’t want to deal with. So until he hatches a plan on getting rid of them, Gray is stuck taking them to a daycare his coworker recommended while he works.If only the guy with the pink hair working there, didn’t become another one of his many problems...





	1. Hello?

Gray was stressed. More than he's ever been in a while and this... _this_ kid was going to make him stressed for eternity if he didn't do something about the brat.

The male held a face of aggravation, as he narrowed his tired eyes to the young hindrance sitting on the roof of his black Porsche, claiming Gray was his father.

"Get the _hell_ off my car," Gray ordered without a hint of kindness.

Why should he be nice to some brat dirtying up the hood of his car?  The blonde was lucky Gray hadn't just dragged him off from the mere sight of the child's scuffed up, black converses on his left headlight.

" **Now**..." Gray insisted.

The blond boy in response, shook his head and pointed with a bandaged index finger at Gray, holding a frown on his face.

"You're my father! Don't abandon me!" The kid yelled and the people walking behind Gray and even across the street looked their way.

 _'Great, an audience.'_ he thought and lowered his head down in embarrassment, undeniable rage boiling as he spared a menacing glare at the kid.

 _'No way in hell was that mine,'_ Gray told himself as he took in the child's features. Heck, he didn't remember smashing up a blue eyed blonde. Especially without a condom. The brat shared no existing traits Gray had at all.

"Get _off_ my car," Gray repeated lowly, trying to say it nicely.

"Not until you say I'm your son."

Son of a—

"No," he replied and grit his teeth as the blond child got up.

The nerve he had to just stand on his car!

Gray was two seconds from strangling the hell out of him, but luckily, Gray valued public opinion more than anything. Even more so after receiving a promotion three days prior. Besides, he was still trying to get accustomed to the new work load, so who could blame him for being a little stressed.

"Please father you got to!" The boy pleaded and that would've pissed Gray off more, if he wasn't gradually becoming nervous by the strange looks he was getting around him.

He needed a quick solution to shutting the kid up.

"Get in the car," he told the blond boy and unlocked the vehicle with the press of a button.

Instantly brightening, the child leapt off the hood of the car and neared to the front seat door Gray relentlessly opened for him. After he got it, Gray closed the door and walked around the front of the car to take his place in the drivers seat. He dropped into the seat and slammed the door shut with a sigh.

Both in the car.

Time to get down to business.

"What's your deal kid?" Gray started off and looked to the side to see the blonds facial expression. "You and me both know I'm not your dad."

The blonde shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking out the window.

"Hey! I'm _talking_ to y—"

The back left passenger door of the car opened and slammed shut, making Gray whip his head back to see another young boy. This one had black hair, a bang covering his left eye that were nothing like Gray's ever seen. Dark maroon orbs that could pass off as a bloody red.

"There you are Rogue!" The blonde turns his head, face featuring a bright smile towards the other child.

Gray on the other hand, had pursed lips and a frown.

He was confused and frustrated. Not that he _wasn’t_ already frustrated to begin with.

Gray was set hard on getting both kids out his life right now. The only problem was how it was going to look if he kicked two children out his vehicle and drove off. The two boys shared a poverty stricken look, as if they haven't bathed for a few days and owned nothing but the clothes on their backs. The blondes shirt was fraying and the one named Rogue had hair that was in desperate need of a trimming.

Tossing them out like THAT would seriously get him arrested for sure.

He wasn’t sure if he was being a certified asshole, when these kids actually needed help. He just wished it wasn’t his help. Or rather, he just didn’t want to help. There’s a bunch of other people willing to, just NOT him.

"Mister, I'm very sorry this had to happen but if you don't take us, we'll accuse you of being a pedophile."

Gray suddenly felt a dark cloud drift over his head. It raining and soaking him in nothing but dread.

"Like _hell_ you will! What makes you think you can do that?!" He challenged with a scowl, glaring daggers through blonds smug as shit face.

“It’s our word against yours,” the blond boy said and pulled a picture, definitely fake, of Gray doing disgusting shit to both of them. “And _this_ is leverage.”

 _'Wait what?'_ Gray's eyes widened at the photo the other took out from the confinements of his jeans pocket. _'When did they--'_ he thought mid-way, before hearing Rogue speak.

"We've had our sights set on you for a  while."

"Well more like two days including today," the blonde added as he looked to the roof of the car, making sure he was correct on it. "Yeah, just two."

"You, I've only ever met you brats today!" Gray snapped and yanked the blond kid close by the collar of his shirt, his rage filled gaze meeting tantalizing blue one. "You picked the _wrong_ guy."

"Let _him_ _**go**_ ," Rogue bit out desperately and shot forward to claw at Gray's wrist, hard enough that it broke skin.

Gray winced and quickly retracted his hands, taking note of the red streaks on his wrists. His gaze flickered to Rogue in the back seat, shooting a glare to the kid, who gladly shot one back. It would've been a stare down if there wasn't a knocking on his window. Gray turned to his window side, a police officer tapping the glass with an almost disapproving look.

With a gulp, he made the window come down enough to see and speak to the officer without any barriers between them.

Gray nervously nodded in greeting.

"Wh-what can I do for you officer?"

"Some lady called to notify me of a strange man in a suit, yelling at a young child."

"Um, well you s--"

"And from the looks of it, you abuse them physically as well as verbally from what I just saw. Your hands were all over the poor boys neck," the officer shook his head and made a move to open the drivers door. "I'm gonna have to take you in."

Grays skin drained of color, his throat suddenly going dry.

This would've been the end of his life, his career, if the blonde didn't speak up.

"No! Don't take our dad away! He was just playing, _honest_!"

The police officer screwed his eyebrows together in great disbelief. He peered in pass the driver to see the other child in the car, nodding in confirmation to what the blonde had said to him.

"You two don't have to be afraid. Te--"

"It's _true_! I don't want to be an orphan, we just want our daddy!" The blonde cut the officer off, the slightest tremble to his lip as the child began to cry. The blonde had balled up fists covering his eyes, and fake sniffs that made Gray want to gag.

Don’t tell me he’s believing thi—

"D-don't cry ok, I-I'm mighty sorry for this."

Gray gapped his mouth at how easily this guy played into their hands, not that he wasn't grateful though. He was very much so happy to of avoided getting arrested.

"What do you two _want_?" Gray then asked, watching the officer leave and get back on his motorcycle, driving away.

"Simple, _you_ take us in."

Gray looked at the blond brat, finding his arms crossed with a smug smile on his face.

"That's not so simple. Everyone knows I don't have kids," he retorted with a frown and started up his car. "Think of something actually possible, like getting you guys ice cream. That’s something I can _afford and do_.”

"Look here mister, we just need a place to stay. You don't even have to take care of us," Rogue assured without Sting's consent.

"What are you talking about Rogue?! The whole point of this is for someone to take care of us for once!" Sting turned to glare at his friend in the back seat, who was unaffected by the glare.

While they argued, Gray huffed in annoyance. He was already beginning to get tired of having them around. Their had to be some way to dump them somewhere. He could care less what trouble or abusive parents the brats had. It had nothing to do with him. If the brats hated where they were living, they ought of went to a shelter than pester random strangers like him.

Gray _didn't_ need this extra baggage in his life.

After all, his own sister and brother cause enough shit for him to worry about.


	2. Welcome To The Bathroom.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not much is established in this chapter. It’s a small moment that will be looked back on through the fic.

" _This_ ," Gray unlocked the front door to his apartment. "Is _MY_ home."

"Why is _MY_ emphasized?" Sting copied, anxious to get inside and see where he'd be living from now on.

Grays lip twitched, before answering the blond, not at all kindly.

"Because it's _MY_ home, _MY_ things in it, and _MY_ property over all."

"Doesn't this apartment belong to the one you pay rent to?" Rogue asked knowingly, smirking at the effect it had on their now to be caretaker.

" **Shut. Up** ," Gray grit out, shoving his front door open, and holding back the urge to just slam the door in the brats faces after he walked in.

"Wow," Sting beamed, wasting no time running in, past Gray, and pouncing on the leather brown love seat. "Ugh! It's so squishy. Not comfortable at all," he complained while laying on the sofa, leather wrinkles, making imprints on his skin.

"Then _don't_ lay on it," Gray scoffs, taking off his coat and putting it on one of the dinning room chairs, before turning to watch the kids walking through his home like it was the history museum.

He found it amusing in a way.

Until he finally realized their dirty little bodies were contaminating his rather expensive furniture.

"Oi!" Gray points towards the blond still on his couch, the other kid settling for playing with the fibers on his rug by his coffee table. "Get **off** my couch!"

"It's _Sting_ ," Rogue informed the man, Gray hardly really giving a shit what the brats name was.

"Don't wanna~" The Sting sang, getting up from his laying position to just straight up jumping on the couch, taunting the owner of it with the widest grin.

" **YOU BRAT**!" Gray ran over, grabbing for the blond boy, only to miss from the child's quick reflexes. " _ **STAY**_!" Gray ordered angrily, surging forward again and succeeding. He held the struggling blond in his arms, smirking in triumph until the wretched stench of the child ripped apart his nostrils. Resulting in Gray dropping Sting back on the couch.

"Fuck..." Gray backed away in disgust, careful to step around the coffee table. "When's the last time you bathed?" He asked in pure curiosity.

The smell wasn't as terrible in his car...

Why is he getting full whiff of the two now?

Rogue finally looked up from examining the carpet, looking towards the adult and shrugging in response.

"Y-You're kidding... _right_?" Gray's lip twitched again, the frown he had since leaving work, deepening.

"Would we _kid_ you mister?" Sting snickered, leaping effortlessly from the couch to just standing on the floor. "Does it LOOK like we're clean?"

"Definitely doesn't smell like we are either," Rogue added, lifting up his arm and sniffing his armpit.

Gray shook his head in disbelief, pinching the bridge of his nose in efforts to calm down.

At least they could tell the difference between dirty and clean.

"We need to set some ground rules..." he muttered finally. Taking both the kids aback by his statement.

"You don't have t—"

"You're in _my_ home. As long as you're here, you WONT be smelling or even _looking_ as you do now!" Gray exclaimed, cutting Rogue off and tiredly stretching his back. "Rule number one..." he said and walked past the two into his hallway and opening a door that revealed to be the bathroom when the lights were flicked on. "You _bathe_ everyday."

Rogue perked up at this and walked over to where the man held the door open, peeking inside.

"Get over here blondie," Gray ordered, walking into the bathroom and rolling up his sleeves. "Both of you front and center!"

Rogue crept in, but only after Sting ran inside.

Now both were standing next to each other, facing Gray who in return, nodded in gratitude towards their obedience.

"I don't give a damn about you two," he clarified harshly. The boys not batting an eye towards it. "But since you're here with me temporarily, you're going to do as I say."

"Huh?" The blond raised a brow, then folded his arms in objection. "You can't make u—"

"Shut the hell up blonde!" Gray snapped, the boys flinching in response. He narrowed his eyes at that, but carried on with his lecture.

"My house, my rules. Blackmail or not, I won't tolerate shitty brats prancing around my stuff."

"Technically," Rogue began with a gulp. "This is an apartment."

...

"You just want to get dunked first, Don't _cha_?"

"What? No," Rogue backed a step away, a bit of fear etched on his face.

Actually fear, that slightly made Gray’s stomach churn. However, just like before, he carried on with his goal.  
  
The goal to get these brats in the tub, scrubbing their filth away.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let him touch you Rogue." Sting stepped forward, glaring daggers into Grays dull eyes.

"I'm _scared_ ," Gray huffed sarcastically and turned a bit to reach the faucets. Then played with the temperatures a bit, looking for the right one for the kids to bathe in.

"Not cold water," Rogue whispered a slight plead that Gray ignored out of the ridiculous notion of making them bathe in cold water.

"And we don't exactly have clothes dude," Sting said also, a bit nervous while rubbing his arm.

"I'll figure something out," Gray huffed in annoyance, putting the stopper in. He then sat at the edge of the tub, watching the water fill up. "Take off your clothes, it’s ready."

Rogue shook his head, Sting strangely huddling closer to him with the same rejective look.

"What do you mean _no_? You can't clean your asses with clothes on," he got up, folding his arms until it gradually hit him.

Gray just met them today. Maybe they don't want him to see them naked.

It didn't really matter to him, because after all they were male, but if it made them uncomfortable, he wouldn't force them...

...even though they've done wonders on making him feel uncomfortable.

Why the fuck is he being nice to brats that blackmailed him?!

Gray face palmed with a heavy sigh, then looked tiredly towards the anxious little brats.

"You know how to work the faucets right?" He asked calmly.

They nodded and so he nodded in return, walking past them to the bathroom door and glancing back when he stopped by it.

"There should some towels in the cabinet, along with wash clothes in the drawer. When you're done, don’t bother me. I have work to do,” he said.

Rogue and Stings were rather surprised by his behavior. Seeing as he was so hostile before.

"Okay," Sting answers and with that, the door was shut behind the man and he and Rogue were left alone in the bathroom.

"I don't understand," Rogue began, starting to strip off his stained white tee shirt. He struggled a bit with getting it off his head without yanking at his hair. "He's nice one moment, then mean the next."

"He's _not_ nice Rogue," Sting clarifies with a frown, watching his friend undress and reveal some scars with each discarded piece of clothing. He sighed and took off his own shirt, reveling in his own. However, not as old as Rogue's. "He's acting like that because we're threatening him," he spat almost sourly, and slammed his shirt on the tile floor, angrily.

"Sting," Rogue called gently. Sting's shoulders shook as he tried to control his anger. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you," he apologized and grabbed the blond by the arm, tugging to get him to look at him. " _Come on_ , don't be angry."

Sting shook his head slightly, trying to reject the bad thoughts and memories in order to focus on the present.

He was going to finally be clean.

In warm water no less.

The warm hand on his arm, slowly helped bring him back to a stable state. He looked to Rogue, grinning brightly and yanking Rogue towards the tub with him.

"Get in first," he said, nudging his friend.

"But what about you?" Rogue asked concernedly.

"I still have pants on," Sting deadpanned and Rogue flushes in embarrassment before turning to leap over the rim of the tub and into the water with a loud splash. He shivered when he realized the water was more than warm. It was almost hot.

"Sting! The waters like the spa baths on tv!" He exclaimed and sank lower, so the water covered most of his body.

Sting lightening up at hearing this and quickly kicked off his worn out sneakers and dirty jeans, leaping as Rogue did into the water. This time sending some water out the tub and onto the tile floor.

" _You're right_ ~" Sting practically purred.

"Stupid," Rogue laughed and Sting soon joined in. After a bit, they began cleaning themselves up, making sure to scrub everywhere until they looked and felt clean. Since Sting finished wash off first, he slowly got out the tub and looking at the door, not sure how he'd tell the man they were done without him seeing them. Then again, he did say not to bother him also. The blond frowned and eased the door open slightly, the steam oozing out the bathroom. Although the man was no where in sight, Sting remained cautious, but was surprised again to find folded pieces of clothing on the floor. Sting didn't waste anytime quickly grabbing them and shutting the door again.

"They look a bit big," He thoughtlessly complained, holding up a green and white stripped t-shirt as Rogue dried off and pulled an item from the new clothes Sting carelessly dropped on the floor to inspect that one shirt.

"I think they're fine for now," Rogue slid on a black long sleeve shirt. "They aren't as big as I thought it'd be."

"Hm," Sting considered the same and pulled the shirt over his head, then gently flattening the fabric against his wet frame. He smelt his sleeve and transitioned to rubbing his cheek on it after. "It's clean...just like us Rogue."

"Yeah," his friend giggled and reached over to the brown boxers, slipping them on after. "Will he wash our clothes?" Rogue questioned, looking at what they once wore.

"We can just make him buy us new ones," Sting said nonchalantly and slipped on a white pair of boxers. "Guess he doesn't have pants that fit us," he said and kicked his dirty clothes into a pile with Rogues. "Shall we?"

Sting bowed towards the bathroom door, smirking evilly.

Rogue smiled, nodding as they began exiting the bathroom.

Leaving their filth behind them.


	3. Can’t Deal.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smacked Upside the head. Idk why it seems funny to me.

"Get back here you runt!"

"Don't talk to him that way!" Lucy yelled, then released an exhausted sigh as she places a pink ducky printed blanket over a sleeping little girl. "And be quiet!" She hissed, abruptly standing to rush over to where Natsu, her coworker, was chasing after Gajeel.

Gajeel just didn't know when to let up. Everyone was sleeping soundly, but him.

"I'm not tired!" Gajeel declared and leapt onto one of the tables the children ate lunch at. "And pinkie can't tuck me in the way I like it!"

"I'll show you," Natsu grinned, raising his fist threateningly. "You'll be in _dream land_ before you know it."

"Stop it," Lucy scolded and sighed again, whacking her friend upside the head before nearing Gajeel in a calmly manner. She smiled kindly to the boy and held out her hand to him. "It's nap time Gajeel. If you're not tired, play silently."

Gajeel frowned, folding his arms defiantly, before blushing.

"If I nap, can I sleep by Levy," he mutter lowly.

" _Ha_! Want to sleep next to your girlf— **OW**!" Natsu winced, grabbing the top of his now throbbing head.

"Serves you right," Gajeel sticks his tongue out and jumps off the table, staring at Lucy. "Lead the way cheerleader."

Lucy rolls her eyes playfully with a smile.

"It was only one time Gajeel, and it was for a play we recited for your parents."

"Doesn't mean shit."

"Hey, no cursing!" Lucy swat him at the back of the head, however it did nothing but make the boy laugh as he made way to Levy's sleeping form. He quickly silenced himself and laid down, turning on his side to just look at her cute unconscious form.

Lucy giggled to herself at the scene, before glancing behind her to see Natsu arguing with the one who hit him on the head, Erza, our boss.

"You didn't have to hit me," Natsu grumbled, still rubbing his head, but with a pout.

" _Shut up_. You need to learn they're children. They don't know better than you," Erza explained, looking past Natsu and Lucy, watching Gajeel nodding off to sleep. "You just need to use what they like against them. It's called positive and negative reinforcement."

"I get that Erza, but it's just THAT kid I can't deal with."

"Then leave him to Lucy. You're better off dealing with the others since they listen to you," she concluded.

"No," Natsu frowned, turning around to catch Lucy placing blanket over a unconscious Gajeel, her lips tinged with a gentle smile. "They listen because they're _scared_ of me."

"Natsu, you know that's not all there is too it..." Erza rubbed her temple.

"If you say so boss," he replied with a shrug, as if what he just confessed held no significance. "When are the parents coming for their runts?"

"In about another hour. Lucy's going to clock out soon, so I suggest you start cleaning things up."

" _Roger_ ," he saluted playfully and went off to do so. Starting by organizing the book shelves by the door.

In all honesty, fixing the books were his favorite part. It was nostalgic.

He took out one in particular, giving it a smile when he traced his palm over the title. The laminated cover squeaking slightly under his rough fingers tips.

 _Very_ nostalgic.

He was about to flip open to the first page, seeing no harm in taking a minute going down memory lane, until the front door of the daycare slammed open. Shocking Natsu out of his not so common quiet moment to himself.

" **Errrza**!" A man was carrying two kids under both arms, his foot the only thing keeping the door open. "Get your ass out here you _bitch_!"

 _Whoa_...

Natsu gulped nervously, as he heard the familiar clacking of heels. He decided organizing the books could wait, especially since he'd hate to get in the crossfire of whatever throw down that was about to happen. That guy had to be stupid, or just wanted a shorter life.

" _Gray_ ," Erza said gently, a smile gracing her beautiful face despite her aggravation.

A shiver went down the workers spine, as he practically crawled away to a safe distance by Lucy, who watched from the cubbies.

"Who's that?" She asked in a whisper.

"Some guy named Gray, asking for a death wish.."

Lucy bit her lip, tuning in with her friend to hear what was going on.

" _Erza_ ," the man repeated, a furrow deepening as the kids struggled in his arms. "Take them."

" _No_ ," she easily replied, folding her arms. "They're your responsibility."

" _What_?!"

"Shut up, I have other children sleeping here."

Gray scoffed, kicking the front door shut after he fully got himself in.

"They aren't mine!" He said in a harsh whisper, the boys biting and tugging at the hem of his shirt. "I already told you what happened!"

"Gray," Erza said calmly. "I can't just take children like this. I offered to help you when you called but I can't just take them. I run a daycare, _not_ an orphanage."

"I know that..." Gray looked to the kids and then to her desperately. "But just...just for today. _I can't_ right now...I just got this new promotion and..." he shook his head, trying to get the gradual developing dryness out his throat. " _I can't_ deal with two kids right now, especially today or tomorrow. They don't listen and I can't get any work done."

"Pull yourself together man," she smacked him upside the head, then gently ruffled his hair. "How about I send someone over to your place to watch them while you work? This way you won't have to worry about them too much."

 _Huh_?

Natsu blinks at Ezra's suggestion, then bumped into Lucy to get her attention.

"Is she talking about sending one of us?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows in worry, before nodding.

"We're the only employees she's got so far."

"You're _kidding_? What happen to Freed?" Natsu knelt down, Lucy doing the same as they had a small meeting. She raised her hands, wiggling her fingers to indicate they had five workers. Themselves not included.

"Freed got married remember?" She pulled one finger down.

"Really? To _who_?"

Lucy face palmed with her other hand.

"Ugh, this is how I know you only came to the reception for the cake."

Natsu shrugged, looking to the remaining four fingers she had up.

"Cana?"

"Do I _really_ have to explain why? Erza fired her."

"Right...um, Mirajane?

"She's a model now," Lucy sighed and pulled down two fingers. Two remaining.

"Yukino went to a funeral and won't be back anytime soon," she pulled down another finger.

"Who's the last one?" Natsu pondered, scratching his cheek.

"Wendy," Lucy reminded and put it down.

" _Wait_ , Wendy still works here!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Only part-time. She's still in school and only works on weekends," She explained. "She hardly counts as an actual worker."

"Not tru—"

" _Natsu! Lucy!_ " Erza called.

The two employees flinched and got out of their hiding spot right away, walking to and standing at attention in front of her.

Erza cracked a smile before pulling the guy named Gray, STILL holding the kids in his arms, forward.

He gave Lucy a small smile, but once he laid eyes on Natsu, Gray gave him a dirty look. His eyes mostly locked on Natsu's and just from that, Natsu knew right then and there, he _hated_ this guy.

"What guy dyes his hair _pink_?" Gray chuckled in disgust.

"What guy _bitches_ over a couple of kids?" Natsu threw him back the same look. Now both men beginning a stare down, mentally beating the shit out of each other.

Erza cleared her throat, snapping her fingers in front of their faces for their attention.

"Seeing as how you both made such a good impression on each other, I'd say Natsu qualifies for this task."

"HELL NO!" Natsu rebuttals, getting slapped by both Lucy and Erza.

"The kids!" Lucy whispered harshly.

" _Fuck_..." He moped, looking to the ground, then to the children in the mans grasp. They looked about the same age as Gajeel.

"Gray," Erza began and pointed to the middle of his forehead. "Be _nice_. I won't be only holding Natsu accountable if anything happens to these boys."

"Whatever..."

" _Gray_ ," she warned.

" _Fine_ ," he glared at the brats. "Take them now," he makes a throwing motion towards Natsu.

"Hey! Don't thr—"

He tosses the blond into the workers arms, Natsu barely catching him with a wince.

"Bastard!" The blond and Natsu yelled in union.

"Ha," Gray gazed coldly towards their responses and lowered himself slightly to let Rogue down. "You two are perfect for each other."

"No..." Rogue objected, drawing all their attention. Hence causing the boy to blush and instinctively hide behind Grays leg.

It was strangely cute in a way to them all, except for Gray.

The man wasn't use to this sort of behavior. Gray felt pretty much uncomfortable with the weird attachment Rogue suddenly had to him. Not to mention it's only been a day since he's had him.

So as any person that didn't want to be bothered, Gray simply rolled his eyes and pat the child on the back of the head.

"Go to them, not me." He instructed, as if Rogue didn't know what he was doing.

Rogue blushed deeper and scurried over to behind Lucy. The blond woman giggling at his shyness.

"You're a real asshole you know that?" Natsu states while putting the child thrown at him down. "A real piece of work."

"And I care?" He turned away and reached for the handle of the door, but being stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He glanced back to see it was Erza. "What?" He spat.

She glared, having more to say to him about this matter, but let it slide in order to let him be on his way.

Anymore yelling would seriously wake the children. She was surprised they weren't awake already.

"Natsu will be their care taker when you're away, or when in need of assistance. I'll give him your number and I'll call you later tonight to give you his," she concluded.

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll see you later asshole," Natsu waves passive aggressively and crouches down with a smile by the kids he just dropped off.

Gray bit his lip, the scene one he couldn't stomach.

They're blackmailing him...why are they the fucking victims?

"Whatever," he simply muttered and left in a haste to get away from them.

Let him be damned if they thought he'd be coming back for the runts.


	4. To Be An Asshole.

The ringing never stopped.

Not when he got in the house, made dinner, took a shower, went to bed and woke the next day for work.

When Gray said to himself he wouldn't come back for the runts, he _meant it_.

Whether or not he was being blackmailed, he wouldn't tolerate their insistent nagging. Just looking at the young boys made Gray sick to his stomach. His only obligation to take care of anyone, belonged to his siblings and even when he did that, Gray despised it. Maybe having to help raise his younger younger sister and brother made him hate kids overall but no matter how you look at it, Gray wasn't _parental_ material. All he did back then was feed his siblings, make sure they cleaned themselves, cleaned after them and helped them with their homework. Anything else he had to do was due to the absence of their foster mother.

Now that he was out of his childhood home and on his own with a successful job no less, Gray was doing his best not to let others ruin what he's worked so hard for. Therefore _those_ **kids** , posed an issue.

They've only stayed with him for three days and Gray fell behind on his scheduled routine.

What use to consist of him getting dressed, eating breakfast and going to work, turned to get dressed, feed the kids, make sure they had food for later and then drive them to some arcade to spend the day until he was done with work. Not only did this put a dent on his budget, it also made him more exhausted each following day that sometimes he'd forget to go over his notes for the next meeting at work and fix his appearance from bedridden to credible.

Gray just got this promotion and he feels he'll get demoted just as fast.

Which is why he was currently tying his shoes without a worry of anyone in his home but him, a content smile on his face as he finished and rose up to slide on his navy blue vest and black designer blazer.

Today was going to go well, it had to. He's finally gotten a good nights sleep and was ready to show the higher ups he was worth the promotion.

The dark haired male looked appreciatively at his appearance in the mirror before smirking and slicking his hair back. Then quickly, he check the time on his watch and retreated from his room to the living room. He grabbed his briefcase and walked out the front door, locking it behind him and making way to the elevator to take it to the parking lot. It no time, he gracefully opened and slid into the drivers seat. After tossing his briefcase in the seat next to him, Gray started up his car with a gleeful smile and in no time, drove to the direction of his work place.

The driver hummed pleasantly, silence a blessing to his ears.

He was _free_.

At least for a little while.

Erza would kill him later for ditching the boys on her, but he couldn't help it. His career was more important.

Twenty minutes passed before Gray got parked in his usually parking spot in front of the work building. However before he got out, he too huge breath and then blissfully exhaled to calm his nerves to being ready for the work place.

He was Gray Fullbuster, secretary of the CEO of Arch Industries, where we support only the most successful architectural genius.

His phone rung once more.

Gray hardened his features and ignored the vibrations of his cellphone.

_Let's do this._

The business man got out his car, briefcase in hand as he shut the door, hearing his vehicle lock with a beep as he entered the building and greeted the front desk ladies with a wink before heading to the elevator. The females excited squeals did wonders for his ego as he entered the elevator and pressed the button to the his floor.

"Today should be easy," he told himself and once the door opened to his floor, all eyes were on him.

Or maybe not...

He clicked his tongue, pondering the many possible reasons he was receiving all this attention. However the reason he never accounted for when he reached his office down the hall, was a pink haired man leaning with folded arms against his desk and the two spawns of Satan eating on his leather couch by the windows.

"What's the meaning of _this_?" Gray bit out, slowing shutting and locking his door behind him.

Sting bit hungrily into a bagel with cream cheese, while Rogue had a pink frosted donut in his hands. The two watched amusingly at the interaction between their babysitter and the man they blackmailed.

" _Ha_ , that's what I'd like to know." Natsu tilted his head, frowning towards Gray but easing up on his scowl when he noticed how nicely dressed the man was.

Would it be wrong to find him _exceptionally_ attractive right now?

...

As cliche as this sounded, Natsu wasn’t gay or anything, he just calls it how he sees it. The guy was handsome.

In contrast to when Natsu first met the business man, Gray was a mess. He was wearing nothing but a stained covered, grey, baggy t-shirt and black sweats. The guys face was nothing much to look at due to the bangs and shady red balled cap he was wearing at the time, but now...

Let's just say Natsu decided not to punch the other in the face when he saw him as he had planned from the beginning.

" _Simple_ ," Gray glared at the three. "You are intruders of my work place and will be escorted out if you don't leave willingly. I don't even know HOW you got in here to begin with," he pinched the bridge of his nose in disbelief. Kids weren't allowed here, nor were people not delivering or working here.

"Your boss was nice enough to let us see you," Natsu answered. "Told him I was here to drop off _your_ kids," he drawled and leaned off the desk, walking up into Gray's personal space. "You should be fucking lucky I did or else Erza would've made a greater scene coming here," he voiced delicately, as if it was something Gray should really be grateful for.

He'd be grateful if he didn't drop the kids off at all.

However right now, Gray was vulnerable.

He couldn't have them here, especially not now when his boss knows about it. Gray would have to calm down for now, pick his time right to find another way to get rid of the boys.

" _Look_ ," The business man let out a sigh and schooled his features to one that reeks a need for sympathy. "They can't be here," he said gently.

Natsu rolled his eyes and waved his better tone out the window.

"Tough," he spat. "Should've thought of that before trying to ditch em on us," Natsu said harshly, sparing a glance to the two boys that were now just watching them, breakfast he had to pay out of pocket for them, long devoured. "Seriously, what the hells wrong with you?" The pink haired continued, glaring at Gray's sudden ennui expression. "What type of person just _abandons_ two kids in unknown territory?"

The passion in Natsu's last question didn't go unnoticed by them all. However that sincerity didn't touch home like it did for Gray, as it did Rogue and Sting.

At some point, they've all been abandoned yet Gray was the only one toughing it out.

He couldn't afford to lose himself. Not now.

So as easy as it was harsh, Gray walked past Natsu like he wasn't even there and sat his briefcase atop his desk, readying himself for work. While he ignorantly did that, Natsu was fueling from angry to just furious.

He was such a _fucking_ asshole. Natsu tried his best to control himself. With one more glance to the children, he kissed his teeth and walked over to them and kneeled by their feet. Deciding to act on his own accord despite Gray being in the room. After all, noticing how this man just enlightened Natsu he couldn't simply dump them on Gray without worrying the business man would abandon them in a worse off place than a daycare.

"Say, let's get out of this boring place. I reckon you hate it right?" He smiled, trying to put them at ease.

Sting honestly wasn't surprised by Gray's behavior, so it was easy holding in his emotions. He's gotten used to being abandoned over and over again. On the other hand, Rogue was more trusting and strangely began developing an attachment to Gray even though they were blackmailing him. This conversation either destroyed that or just really hurt the child and since Sting knew this, he just held on tighter to his friends hand.

"Yeah," Sting replies and tugs Rogue closer to him, hating the slight pained expression he wore.

"Let's go then," Natsu stood up, registering the man behind him sit in his office chair and begin typing. That alone, made his knuckles crack.

Decent face but _shitty_ personality.

It wasn’t his responsibility to take care of them, but he felt obligated to do it. Especially with how how their father was an asshat.

Maybe there's a better way to go about this...maybe not the most legal way either.

Once he left the office, both boys holding his hands, he smirked mischievously.

This better way would also consist of making that prick pretty pissed off.

Natsu might actual like to see the business man angry. So if the asshole wanted to throw the first punch, he'd willingly dish out all his frustrations he made him deal with.

"What do you guys think of pizza?" He asked as they entered the elevator.

Sting brightened up instantly.

"You're paying right?"

" _No shit dip stick_ ," Natsu scoffed teasingly.

"Then a large pie for me and Rogue, with pepperoni and chocolate ice cream on top!" He exclaimed with sparkling eyes, then directed his gaze to Rogue, who was gripping at the oldest hand with a nod.

"With whip cream," the dark haired child added and Natsu did nothing to hold in his groan at their taste.

" _Really_ guys?" He frowned in disbelief, but instantly regretted it when he saw the two deflate back to how they were before, but more embarrassed and... _ashamed?_

"Ah, joking!" Sting tried to cover with a uneasy smile while waving his free hand dismissively at Natsu for his ideas. However, the pink haired wasn't having any of that.

"I wasn't knocking you guys down. I was cringing at the choice in toppings. Like come on, chocolate ice cream with pepperoni?" He faked gagged, drawing their attention completely. " _Vanillas_ where it's at," Natsu concludes strongly. Letting out a huff of confidence.

Rogue snickered while Sting faintly blushed towards Natsu in admiration.

"You eat pizza with ice cream too?!" He yelled excitedly, almost hopping up in down if they didn't just reach the lobby and begin walking out to Natsu's parked truck.

"Who doesn't?" Natsu rolls his eyes, grinning childishly and lets go of Sting and Rogues hands to unlock the door and help lift them in the high up vehicle.

"Gray maybe," Rogue muttered quietly and Sting went silent too, folding his arms with an attitude.

"Who cares what that guy likes," The blond boy replies and glared out the window.

Natsu on the other hand chuckled and made sure they were situated and buckled in before shutting the door and getting in the drivers seat.

Sure he was pissed as hell Gray, but it was adorable how Sting hid his hurt through anger and Rogue, quite evidently expressing his want to have a better relationship with their father. Honestly, it was hard to believe that guy was their father, but it wasn't surprising how he's ended up a _single_ one.

These kids were fun to hang with. During the time Natsu watched them in the daycare, he noticed how expressive and active they were. Even Gajeel found himself playing with them when he woke up and the three really hit it off. However the headaches they caused as the three musketeers really tired Lucy and him out by the end of the day when Gajeel went home. Well mostly him since Lucy left early. That just goes to show the boys were holding in a lot of reserved energy. When he realized Gray wasn't coming back, the boys were too tired to react because they were too busy dozing off on the floor.

"Where are we going now?" Rogue asked curiously, leaning forward to get a decent view of Natsu's face. "Natsu?"

"Mm," the called man grinned once again at his plan. "Guess."

"Pizzeria?!" Sting shouted hopefully but frowned when Natsu shook his head.

"We're getting you guys home. I know how to pick a lock and order pizza. All you guys gotta know is the way to Gray Fullbuster's home? I forgot to get the address from Erza."

The two boys looked at each other, then at the adult in the car.

"Yeah," Sting raises a brow. "Why?"

" _Well why not?_ " Natsu turned around and winked at him, before starting up his truck and paying attention to the road.

That asshole sure had it coming.


	5. Chapter 5

"No..."

The end table was littered with pizza boxes, yellow oil stains on the white rug in his living room.

" _No_ ," Gray Fullbuster muttered a bit louder in shock, dropping his suitcase to the floor as the door slammed itself shut behind him. The business mans eyes, glued to the mess made of his home.

There was a white and brown substance on his wooden floor, then specs of pepperoni stuck to the walls like they were bullet holes from a mass battle. He thought that was the worst of it until the awful stench of vomit struck his nostrils. To his dismay, the smell was strongest not from the bathroom but from Grays kitchen.

Gray used his sleeve to cover his nose as he carefully stepped over the spots of white and brown he later discovered was melted ice cream, due to the two empty containers on his dinning room table. He glared at the containers as if they made the mess themselves, while he made way to his window and pulled it up to let the stench out the place some. With that done, he suddenly heard foot steps swiftly thump down his hallway and once he heard it, the culprits for this mess was clear as day.

His blood was boiling. He was _beyond_ angry, _beyond_ furious, he was _**enraged**_.

Gray forgot about his surrounds as he took a stride towards the hallway but slipped backwards on a unfinished pizza slice by his couch and slammed his head hard against the floor. In seconds rage mixed with pain from his throbbing head. He'd feel the impact to his back tomorrow but right now, he just got back up, slipping slightly but keeping his balance as he made it to the hall with a menacing aura. Giggles could be heard from his office...

No... _not_ his office.

The dark haired instantly took off to the door right of his room by the bathroom, hand trying to turn the knob which of course had to be locked.

No no no no no!

**FUCK!**

Gray panicked and slammed his fist hard against the door, the giggles dying instantly.

"OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR RIGHT NOW!" He yelled with a hint of desperation.

Shuffling of feet and soft murmurs basked in the now silence as Gray tried his best to wait for them to open up. Yet after two minutes past, his vision went red and he grit his teeth as he banged his fist on the door again. His hand aching as he continuously abused it against the door.

"OPEN UP! I KNOW YOU'RE FUCKING IN THERE!" He yelled again, throat stinging as he yelled to them. Then after a good 20 minutes, he exhaustedly relented his rampage by ending it with the bang of his head on the door. " _Shit_..." Gray hissed hoarsely and once his rage melted to frustration, his head pain was more prominent and so was the throbbing to just being the numbing of his hands. He bit hard into his lip that it bled, and clawed a light trace at the door before walking to his room and slammed his door behind him. Gray then took two steps close to his bed and deflated to the floor, his back against the mattress as his legs carelessly spread on the floor and hands deposited tiredly in his lap with his head craned to looking up at his ceiling.

_Why?_

What the fuck made him deserve this?

His life was so damn perfect, just so damn great after he'd moved out and gotten this apartment. Worked his ass off to get where he was at work and made sacrifices people _hated_ him for.

Sacrifices his family hated him for.

So why is it his suffering came back ten fold after he finally got his shit together?

Whatever they were doing in his office, had to be as bad as what they did to most of his place. That office had all his documents, notes, basically everything he's done up until now and still needed.

Why were these kids trying to destroy his life?

Gray let out a pathetic chuckle and lolled his head head to look at his red trembling hands, then clenched them into fists despite the feel of swelling before letting them lie open again.

He was just so _tired_.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and like every other time, he ignored the vibrations in his pocket. However after it kept going for a bit, he reached in for it and threw it as hard as he could against the wall in front of him, instantly shattering the device and letting the thuds of its pieces be the only thing he was hearing. Not the soft turn of a knob and slow creak of his bed room door.

Shit...

Now he needed a new phone.

Gray grit his teeth again and rubbed the ends of his palm into his eyes in utter frustration.

‘What am I _suppose_ to do?!’

His place was a mess and his career was on shaky waters. Not to mention he couldn't avoid them calling him forever.

"Fuck," he uttered hoarsely with glazed eyes.

He was doing the most pathetic thing he could ever do.

Cry.

" _Ugh_.."

"Gray..."

The said man tensed but kept as he was.

Who was that?

"What's going on with you?"

Gray let out a self-deprecating laugh before moving his hands from his face, keeping his tears at bay.

"Nothing. Nothing that you shouldn't _already_ know, Dragneel."

Natsu frowned a bit and looked behind him at the boys, both worried and shuffling away from coming inside.

He didn't blame them.

The guy was going ballistics, only now did Natsu think it was best to come out with them since everything calmed to quiet. However now he was strangely feeling guilty for this asshole.

"I wouldn't ask if I did, _Fullbuster_."

Gray sighed and spared a faint glance his way.

"Go away," he simply said.

"Look, I know you're angr—"

"That doesn't _begin_ to cover it," Gray purposely interrupted. Natsu letting out a sigh of his own, wondering in how he was going to have a straight conversation with someone just as stubborn as him.

Natsu walked closer and sat on the mans bed by him.

"This was to teach you a lesson you know."

When really it was just revenge for being a jerk.

" _Right_. Now what would that be?" Gray drawled unamused.

His attitude didn't deter Natsu from going on.

"Not to be a heartless dick for no reason."

"Ha," He ran a hand through his hair, a pathetic worthy smile on his face. "If only you knew."

If only he knew he was the victim here.

If only he knew those kids were _pure_ **evil**.

"You're right, I don't know but you're an adult. You know how to behave and how to treat people," Natsu scolded and Gray rolled his eyes at that. " _Bitch_ , I'm not kidding. Kids act out than use words like we do. Why don't you try to understand them before saying screw you."

Understand them he says. What's to understand but that they're blackmailing him?

_Kids act out than use their words like we do._

Gray took in a long breath before heavily exhaling.

He hated to say this but the idiot was right. After all, Gray should know better since he's dealt with his siblings before. They're no different than how the boys are. Reckless, selfish, and learn at their own pace type of kids. The business man didn't like to admit it but maybe he had been being a huge dick. Not that he would allow the other to keep calling him that.

"So what's your _excuse_ for helping them fuck up my house?" Gray suddenly glared directly at Natsu, who in his right mind flinched when he noticed he got the kids off scot free but forgot to pull himself from under the bus. "You're an adult too," he got up from his spot, a reignited lively glint in his dark navy blue eyes. "And I refuse to except the same excuse.”

...

The pink haired laughed nervously and scooted to the edge of the bed, before bolting out the bedroom door. Gray foresaw this And was right on his heels, ignoring the boys that watched surprisingly at the adults run pass them in the hallway.

"You got _this_! **All** of _this_ for them!" Gray seethed and pointed accusingly at Natsu.

"No shit! You fucking deserved it too! Always got a damn stick up your ass," the babysitter clicked his tongue and was carful to avoid the pizza as he hopped onto the couch to get away from the dark hairs grasp. "Not to mention how much of a workaholic you are," he continued and ducked when the other went in to punch him after getting on the couch as well.

"I am NOT a workaholic! I just take my work seriously!" Gray faintly blushed at the accusation and in frustration, kissed his teeth.

"That's what _makes_ you a workaholic genius," Natsu stuck his tongue at him, taking a mental picture of the blushing man.

"Childish Asshole!"

"Bitchy Princess!"

The two bared their teeth at each other, entangling their hands to try and force one another to yield. So far, Gray's arms were trembling, a sheen of sweat at his brow.

"Give up and say you're sorry," Natsu ordered with a huff, straining to keep the other man at bay. "Then take me out to eat for causing me so much damn trouble."

" _Screw you_! Now clean all the shit up!" Gray retaliated and banged his forehead into Natsu's to get the upper hand some how, but all the pink haired did was retaliate twice as hard and stay against Gray's, pushing each other's head back as one kneeled. That one being Gray.

If only he wasn't already so tired from work!

"Fuck that," Natsu rebuttals and upon seeing he was gaining more power over the other man, he smirked in triumph. "What's the matter _princess_? Losing your edge?"

Gray's right eye twitched in annoyance.

"I. Am. **Not**. A. _Princess_!"

The babysitter chuckled and moved his face closer to flaunt his advantage, eyes closely peering into Gray's dark orbs. A shiver strangely went down Gray's spine, getting sucked into the green emerald color of Natsu's eyes. They sparkled of mischief and gleamed in...interest?

Suddenly the pressure of being pushed down yielded.

"You're bleeding," Natsu's eyes widened and Gray finally snapped to when those eyes clouded in panick. " _Fuck_ , Gray! You're bleeding!" He repeated more certainly and leapt from the couch and ran into the bathroom. Gray blinked absently before harshly scolding himself for being distracted so easily by something as stupid as someone's eye color. However, he questioned what Natsu meant. He shouldn’t be bleeding. Gray was certain he should at least feel like he was. Although he can't deny the constant pounding in his head. His headache was getting out of...control...

...

He moved a hand to the back of his neck, feeling something slippery between his fingers, then sticky as it dried. Gray went further up into his scalp and winced, retracting his hand quickly to look at his bloody hand.

...

He WAS bleeding...

"Ha haha," Gray trembled slightly as he became suddenly light headed. He could vaguely hear quick footsteps making their way over to him but alas, something about being conscious didn't click. Hence fainting with the last sound being the call of his name from Natsu's lips.


	6. Dreams and Tears

The last thing Gray remotely thought when he woke up was the scent of overused bleach, an annoying couple weeping in the corner for whoever died, and the familiar throbbing in his head. Those people sobbing didn't help it and nor did the damn repetitive beeping from his monitor...

...

Gray tensed for a minute and seriously took in his surroundings.

He was in a hospital.

Now the noise was somewhat tolerable because it was very reasonable to be there. He was hooked up to some machine monitoring his vitals and the people at the other bed in the room, had a curtain covering around whatever was happening to get some privacy.

Still...

Why did he have to be in a hospital?

A head injury could be treated quickly if he didn't fucking pass out. Who would've known he'd find out he was weak to the sight of blood. Anyways, this place was where he least needed to be.

He had a meeting Tuesday, needed to organize the blueprints for their next project and set up a time to formulate when they'd start. Yes, start. Gray was confident he'd get a go ahead on the project, since it has been in his bosses mind for sometime.

With that in mind, his eye twitched at the bolts of pain that surged through the back of his head when he simply sat up.

"Great..." he muttered annoyed and furrowed his brow as the throb transitioned to pounding. " _Shiiit_ ," Gray hissed and leaned over to cradle his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as if that would do something. "Okay, calm down. A mild headache after busting your head open. No biggie," he consoled himself and with a deep breath, he quickly pushed through the action of tossing the blanket off and getting to feet. Gray was standing and regretting it.

No matter. The dark haired had to leave this irritating place.

So he carefully ripped off the tube hooked to his wrist and stepped towards and past the soap opera in the room to get to the door.

Who the fuck puts a guy with a possible concussion in the same room with this shit?

Gray reaches for the door knob, eyes burning as he pulled it open and went into the bright hallway.

Thank goodness he wasn't in those gowns...

He blinked at a barely audible gasp next to him by the front of the room he just came out of.

Maybe he is wearing one.

Why doesn't he just check instead of thinking about it?

Gray looked down to see his toes, he wiggles them about on the cold tile floor and seeing as he could see his feet and ankles, he knew even without fully looking that he was indeed in a damn gown.

His eyes drifted to where the gasp came from and it happen to be some old lady, eyes openly staring at most likely his exposed buttocks.

" _What_?" Gray frowned deeply, instantly regretting it however when it pulled on the bandages around his head.

Why did everything have to freaking bother him?!

 _Why_  is does he keep questioning himself in his mind?!

"Should I get you a nurse sir?" She asked, paying no heed to his attitude.

"No...maybe? I don't know. I just want to go home," he replied earnestly frustrated and shut his eyes briefly as if it was another way to dull the pain. "This is  _such_  a pain."

The old lady stared at him before putting away her handkerchief and patting the seat next to her. 

"Take a load off. You'll most likely want a nurse, especially since she'll give you your clothes back."

Gray didn't feel like arguing, nor trying to get his way as fast as he'd hoped. Plus he would really like to ask for some painkillers, so Gray slowly made himself over and sat down by her. Leaning back in the chair so that his head rested on the wall.

"Only brats say what you said," she began, and Gray forgot old people always liked to just talk. The business man had no fight in him to do anything but listen and hope a nurse came by quickly.

"What did I say?" He played along to get it over with.

"This is such a pain," she hummed. "That's all my grandson said when I gave him chores at home."

It's all he ever heard out of his siblings mouth when he was young. No wonder he found himself saying it.

Gray almost cracked a smile at their insistence of doing the dishes tomorrow, but they left them in the sink a whole week until he had to give in and do it himself.

"I said he knew no hardship and I honestly regret not whipping his ass sooner, maybe then he would've gotten a better job."

Gray narrowed his eyes at the ceiling, getting the gist of where this was going. He also didn't have to look at the old lady to know she was grieving. Grieving in silence, unlike the others in his room. Gray wondered why he still sat there when he knew he didn't have to, he wondered how long the lady would stay silent after dropping an obvious clue to why she was even here.

He wondered what to say or if he should even say anything at all.

First he gets blackmailed by brats, then tortured by their babysitter and sent to the hospital for a possible concussion, now he has to deal with this depressing tension from a stranger.

Who cursed him?

"Do me a favor," she murmured finally and he looked to her as she looked to him. Then the lady took it a step further, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Okay...What?" Gray blinked in confusion but suddenly winced as her grip hardened. He tried to back away, however the ladies arm surged farther after him and clutched her hand on his windpipe. The dark haired gagged, frozen stiff as everything around his faded to black, even the old lady, leaving him in a pit of darkness with the continuous feeling of being choked.

What...what does she want?!

The old ladies face suddenly stretched out of the black abyss, leering into Gray's face until her face twisted into itself and became someone Gray knew way too well.

"Do me a favor Gray," the delicate voice sounded and the said man looked fearfully into those lifeless eyes.

He couldn't breath...he couldn't answer...

What is it?! I'll do anything!

She smiled at him.

" _Wake up_ ," she said and pierced her fingers into his neck, the imaginative pain forcing Gray awake, panting quickly with eyes wide in panic.

What's going on?!

"He woke up!" Rogue shouted and Sting jumped up from his seat across from Gray's hospital bed. The blond gazed at the man, both children watching his expression. "Does it hurt that badly?" Sting questioned.

Gray accidentally ignored them to look around the room, comparing its difference from his...dream?

He sat up slowly and looked down to his lap, blinking through the mild silence of the lights buzzing above their heads.

"Where is this?" He asked and spared a dull glance to Rogue, then Sting.

"Don't worry about that," A man entered the room, the voice way too familiar for the patients ears.

Gray grimaced and Rogue looked confused to the mans reaction.

"I didn't know you had kids,  _Fullbuster_."

 _Lyon_...

"It has nothing to do with you,  _Doctor_ ," he mocked harshly. Sting frowned and took a step forward to the doctor. The man spared a glanced at the blond boy, smiling.

"What may your name be?"

"What's it to you?" Sting hissed, erupting a laugh from Lyon.

"He certainly acts like you," Lyon sighed humorously and pat the blonde on the head, moving him aside to walk up to the hospital bed. "Now then. Don't let me be in here longer than I'd hate to. Be a good boy and show me your bandages," he folded his arms.

Gray did as told, sharing the sentiment of his brothers appearance. It didn't surprise him the lack of interest in his brothers eyes as he checked for anymore bleeding or anything out of the regular. It also felt weird having his younger brother touch him. It's been years since he's seen him, but it couldn't be helped he got to see him be. Where Lyon worked was apparently the closest to his home, something Gray couldn't believe happened when he knew the younger despised him.

Well, that's what Lyon tells him time it on his birthday.

"You surprisingly have only a mild concussion. I expected worse since it was bleeding," Lyon notes and lets his brother go. "I'll be back to hand you some medicine and then you'll be feee to go."

"Thank you," Rogue spoke up, clutching at the blanket over Gray's thigh. Lyon saw the action and smiled to Rogue and Gray knew from the looks of it, he was going to be an asshole. Even Sting was on high alert.

"He doesn't like clingy people," Lyon said as sweetly as possible, as if a mere child wouldn't understand if he spoke normally. "He especially dislikes children," he informs with a dark glare, resentment for not the kids, but his brother as Lyon breathed in to calm himself and then turn to leave the room. The door slamming on his way out with no respected to Gray's headache.

"Rogue?" Sting called to snap his friend out of it. He wasn't sure what scared Rogue, the fact he wouldn't be able to get close to Gray or the man that told him it was impossible.

"Sorry," Gray said to both children, the little hand by his thigh long gone once the door slammed.

It didn't bother him. Or so he thought it didn't.

"Sorry for what?" Sting asked bravely. He was actually feeling a bit guilty for Gray's injury. It was partially their fault too, right?

"I don't know," he said and rounded himself around to the edge of the bed, legs dangling off the edge. That's when he actually thought about how he got here. The kids couldn't of brought him. "Where's Natsu?"

"Um," Rouge bit his lip. "He's somewhere."

"Somewhere  _here_?" Gray asked specifically with a newly reasoned frown developing on his face. 

"Somewhere here," Sting assures.

The adult looks to both children, before letting out an exhausted sigh.

"Whatever. As long as I don't have to drive home," he said and deflated back on the bed in both discomfort and comfort. He had no idea what to tell these kids, no idea what to do with them here with him. He got a mild concussion over slipping on fucking food and what made him strangely depressed, was the fact these kids that are the cause of it, care more than his damn brother. They're the ones staying with him, waiting patiently for him to wake and now watching him with a fixation of relief and worry.

...

 _Maybe_...

He clenched at the sheets by his sides.

This  _could_  work?

If he stopped being a dick and if they listened.

"Sting! Get that doctor again!" Rogue panicked and pushed at his friend. "Gray's in pain again!"

"Ah! But I don't know how..." Sting furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?" The blond crawled up onto the bed to get to Gray's face resting on the mattress, finger swiping at a...tear?

Gray's eyes widened and he jolted up, scarcely laughing as he quickly wiped his face of tears that seize to stop. Sting backed away by Rogue again, not knowing what to make of what's happening.

"I'm fine," he said despite how hoarse his voices became. "Fuck..." the business man didn't understand why they kept coming. "This is so annoying.  _Shit_ ," he shakily laughed, trying to somewhat hide from the young boys staring observably at him.

"Gray," Rogue sniffed.

"Oh NO you don't. Don't cry because I'm crying. That's not a good reason to cry," The said man scolded but it was already too late as Rogues face contorted into a expression of anguish, his shoulders shaking. "Come on now, stop!" Gray saw the child's tears burst out his sockets. He looked to Sting, hoping maybe he would console his friend somehow but apparently, Sting was trying so badly to hold back with how tight lipped he was. He was squinting to keep the gleam of water from pouring out.

" _Why_?" Gray face palmed, pressing the soles of his hands into his eyes to put a stop to at least his own waterworks. "Why are you two crying?" He asked softly.

"B-be-because..." Rogue clutched at his shorts, snot drizzling down from his nose while looking at Gray. "It's our fault.." he muttered sadly.

"Rogue, stop." Sting tugged at the others sleeve. The blond was grudgingly pouting. One eye tearing as he sniffed.

"We w-were upset you didn't...you didn't..." the dark haired child shook his head to contain what he was going to say, however just then, Sting finally broke down too.

"Sting..." Gray lowered his eyelids, the simply image of them crying for him making his chest tighten.

"You didn't want us..." Sting rubbed the salty liquid particles harshly into the skin of his cheek with his fist. "You were nice but mean. Then abandoned us like everyone else..." he explained lowly and the business man tensed, unable to comprehend that would truly upset them.

These children, weren't his, but they acted like he was and just left them.

It didn't make any sense why when all he's done is treat them like shit, for them to like him.

Gray sucked in a shallow breath and finally, he was able to stop the water works.

Good. He'd hate to be like this when Lyon came back.

"Look..." he started, getting the boys attention at the monotonous way he addressed them. It wasn't purpose, Gray just lacked the energy after letting the dam he's kept intact for years, burst a few minutes ago. "You guys know what you've done wrong right? Not just this and in all honesty, no one should be treated the way you used me or the way I treated you." He paused, taking in the kids dejected expressions before sighing and speaking again. "And the way the people who took care of you before treated you."

Sting perked, seeing Gray look away in embarrassment. The adults finger shot scratching his cheek, brows furrowed as if trying to put on the face of an attitude.

"If you guys stop being a pain in the ass...then I will too," Gray narrowed his eyes on the gleam of the tile floor, needing a distraction. "So...well...what I'm saying is, you can stick around for a while. And ONLY for a while until you figure shit out with your folks." He whipped his head to them, baring false anger. "Got it?!"

Rogue was the first to break into a smile, not knowing his boundaries yet as he quickly surged forward to hug at Gray. The youngest head almost winding the adult from the impact to his gut. It was difficult for him to be truly annoyed at Rogue, after all, he was happy. Happy because he did something as simple as accept him...

When Gray thought deeper about it, he noticed he'd have to actually be a better guardian by acting nice. Nice wasn't easy for a business man unless he was making a profit in return.

The blond child slowly walked up to him, eyeing the sight of Rogue snuggling openly into the man they blackmailed. Given Sting was keeping in account what he'd done, the blond shyly the sleeve of Gray's shirt, blushing faintly while casting a nervous gaze to the business man.

Gray wasn't sure whether to be irritated by this new development with the kids or admire the fact they too, can be cute sometimes.

He opt for silence in the end, looking up at the ceiling tiredly without thought to how his hand instinctively moved to rest on Rogues head, ruffling softly the black locks he was thinking were in need of a good combing.


	7. A New Leaf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been awhile but I’ve got a chapter now.

"This is _exactly_ what you get."

 

"Gee, it's good to see you too Erza."

 

"I share the same sentiment," the red head folded her arms. "Only just a little."

 

Whether or not Lyon wanted to keep seeing Gray, the patient still had to stay a day or two in the hospital. The business man was curious to his brothers change of heart or about whoever persuaded him otherwise. Either way, his head wasn't a huge pain in the ass from the pain medication. Plus the kids seem to have been on their best behavior for his sake for the time being.

 

"I don't even know why you're here," Gray grumbled, standing before the seated red head and stretching his arms. "It's was a _minor_ head injury."

 

"It was a _minor_ **concussion,** Gray," She corrected and smiled softly as Sting and Rogue drew quietly on the vacant bed Gray abandoned. She was glad she brought the sketch book for them to share. "Also, Natsu deemed it necessary for my appearance."

 

"The fuck for?" He scoffed in question and leaned back to stretch out his back.

 

"He panicked," she shrugged. "That in itself is new for him. He made it seem as if you were dying."

 

Gray sputtered for his next set of words, standing normally to of seized doing anymore moves while he faintly felt his cheeks heat up. Just as color to took his pale skin, a growing frown appeared with it.

 

"That idiot!"

 

"You've got room to talk," Sting snorts and Rogue gasped, holding in a giggle.

 

"What you say?" Gray asked darkly, turning his head to face the pair that quickly started small talk with each other as if they weren't in the oldest shit radar already.

 

Just when he thought they started behaving.

 

" _Calm down_ ," Erza sighed and gave a sympathetic look to her friend. "I know enough that being here bothers you. I took it upon myself to have Natsu clean you place, especially after the story he'd told me. I feel you've been punished enough."

 

"He better be," Gray retorts and takes in a deep breath. Now he looked more forward to going home.

 

" _However_ ," she stood, the change of tone sending shivers down his spine. "I feel it's only fair you pay him back for what he's done," Erza shot him a glare to shut off any complaints there may be, but to her surprise the man before her easily yielded. Not in fear but in agreement. That in itself warmed her heart, seeing as maybe her friend was just starting to turn over a new leaf.

 

"I'll be readying for your departure. I brought a change of clothes for you. Come to the lobby when you've finished changing," she continued. "Come on boys."

 

Rogue nodded happily and waited for Sting to finish his last bit before closing the sketch book. The blond holding the markers they used as Rogue held onto the book and hurried over with Sting out the door before Erza.

 

"We'll all be waiting," she concluded and exited herself, shutting the door behind her.

 

"Yeah," Gray sighed to himself, looking for and going to the plastic bag his friend left on the chair for him.

 

If only his _real_ family treated him this way.

 

He kissed his teeth, in a rush to get out of the crappy hospital gown he was in.

 

_After all he's done for them_...

 

"Screw it," he huffs and rummages through the bag for a pair of underwear. Once he found it, he slipped them on and after, the dark green cargos. "I've got better things to worry about."

 

So with that, he pulled on a navy blue T-shirt and went to a drawer that held his old clothes, putting them in the bag and while holding it, slipping on the sneakers Erza left him by the bed. The black haired male sighed in comfort and with great relief left his room, venturing down the hall and suddenly racing to get in the elevator before it shut.

 

Why'd he have to try and make it?

 

He wasn't in a rush to go _anywhere_.

 

"Don't make me see such an **awful** sight _this_ early in the day."

 

Gray frowned instantly, sparing a glance around and at the person he regrettably had to share his space with.

 

"Then don't look at me. It's as simple as that," he finally responded, Lyon rolling his eyes in return.

 

...

 

They stood in silence for a bit, Gray anxiously watching the floors ding down but not fast enough for his liking.

 

Neither of theirs for that matter.

 

"Why haven't you been answering?" Lyon began again, keeping his eyes forward.

 

Gray clenched his fist around the handle of the plastic bag, looking to the ground bitterly.

 

"Because it's about the same nonsense _every_ time. I don't want anything to do with it."

 

The doctors eyes narrowed, expression going sour.

 

"You _ungrateful_ bastard," he seethed, shutting his eyes momentarily to calm down. He was at his working establishment after all. "Then what about Ultear? You ignoring her too?"

 

"Not as much," Gray admitted. He hadn't talked to his sister in a while but the last conversation was a tense one. He was still recovering from her last request. So was Lyon. "You?"

 

"The _minimum_ ," he also admits, both glad the elevator opened. Lyon stepped out but held the door open for a bit, looking Gray over emotionlessly. "I don't want to see you here again. Especially not anytime soon," his expression darkened. "It's troubling to take care of a _murderer_ ," Lyon stated icily, Gray so numb to the backlash that only one strike on pain made impact to his chest. His expression as void as his brothers as he left, door shutting to leave Gray alone with his thoughts.

 

He was exhausted but not in the way he expected to be.

 

" _Thank you_ Erza," he said gratefully and exited on his floor, walking towards the lobby and losing the tenseness in his shoulder instantly upon seeing Sting waving gleefully at his appearance. Rogue sharing the same feeling of enthusiasm but displayed more shyly while holding Erza by the hand as she got up, and gestures for Gray to follow her out into the parking lot. Sting lingering by Grays side to talk about the drawing Rogue and him did.

 

"I made a dragon! A red one at that but Rogue wanted a black one," The blond half complained. "What dragons are black?"

 

" _Not_ all have to be red, Sting!" Rogue yelled from the front, sticking his tongue out at his friend who in turn stuck his tongue back.

 

"Only the _cool_ ones are!" Sting continued and Gray rolled his eyes as the two bickered until they reached Erzas dark blue Toyota.

 

"That's enough you two," she chuckled and unlocked the vehicle for them to get in.

 

"No they're not," Rogue whispered as the two boys got in the back seat.

 

" _Are too_ ," Sting buckled up after Rogue, glaring daggers at the other next to him. "You're just jealous I made mine red first before you."

 

" _Am not!_ "

 

"Give it a rest guys, geez. If it makes it any better, _both_ are great." Gray said from the front passenger seat, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "So end it."

 

"That's impossible," The two rebuttal bluntly, taking the man off guard.

 

"Why the _hell_ not?!" He joined in the argument, Erza ignoring the three in efforts to get the car rolling out the parking lot and into the streets.

 

"Because it can only _BE_ **one** ," Sting insisted and leaned forward enough to push the sketch book into Gray's lap. "Look, mine _clearly_ is superior! It even blows fire."

 

"But mine is cooler. It's _typical_ for a dragon to only blow fire," Rogue interjected with a pout.

 

"This is honestly the first time I see you two disagree on something," Gray murmured, irritated but willing nonetheless to grade each kids dragon drawing. It's was childish he even had to heart to bother look at this crap. Both were too young to even draw great to begin with, it just looked like a bunch of random scribbles to him. However, he could faintly make out the dragons on the page if he really tried to.

 

"Why dragons?" He asked curiously, hoping he wouldn't regret questioning them.

 

" _Why_ not?" The blond boy sassed, the raven haired by him nodding but giving a more specific reason. "They're _strong_ , not afraid of heights, and can keep **_whatever_** they want!"

"I see," the business man leaned back more comfortably in his seat, relaxingly inspecting the boys art with a half-hearted eye of interest. "I think they're fine. I like both red and black," Gray said a bit low. "Why not just... _combine_ them or something?" He shrugged nonchalantly and closed the book, letting out a long yawn.

 

"We could," Rogue muttered, imaging it.

 

"Definitely," Gray closed his eyes for a bit.

 

"We're here," Erza spoke up, stopping Gray from the temptation of dozing.

 

"Finally," he grunts and unbuckled as Erza stopped in front of his apartment building. "You're not coming?"

 

"I've got a few errands to deal with," she briefly checked the time on her watch. "I'll give you a call later to follow up on things. Natsu should be up there so you'll get some sleep. He'll keep the boys occupied," she explained and Gray simply nodded, thanking her as the three got out the car, watching the redhead drive off before going inside. The children followed silently behind Gray all the way to his apartment, which happen to have plastic recycling bags at the entrance by the time Gray stuck his key in and opened the door.

 

"I didn't expect you back so soon!" Natsu called from the kitchen. "I finished pretty much everything," he came out, the boys going in to greet the babysitter with open arms. " _Sorry_ , I didn't quite get to taking the bags out yet," he said when he noticed Grays look to them.

 

"It’s fine," Gray assured, shutting and locking his door behind him and walking further in to inspect the place.

 

First by sniffing the air.

 

The vomit was definitely gone.

 

"You actually cleaned up."

 

Natsu rolled his eyes and took off his gloves before patting Rogue on the head and ruffling Stings crazy blond locks.

 

"I usually do at work."

 

" _Right_."

 

"Why don't you get some sleep?" The pink haired suggested, Sting and Rogue making way to the coffee table in the living room to sit on the rug and scatter their markers on the table as well as set their sketch book on it too. "They seem preoccupied."

 

"I guess," Gray looked to the kids, then went into his kitchen to get himself a cold bottle of water from the fridge. After, he walked back out, glancing to Natsu who was tossing his gloves out in one of the open trash bags near the door. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"

 

" _What_?" Natsu raised a brow, walking till he was 5 feet from the other. "Erza already said I should hang out awhile for you to rest."

 

"All I've been doing is resting," He retorts.

 

"I wonder _why_ , Gray."

 

"So do I, _Natsu_."

 

The two glared daggers into each other's faces.

 

Gray kissed his teeth, infuriating the babysitter even more with his attitude.

 

"Don't you dare kiss your teeth at me mister!"

 

"What are you? My mom?"

 

"Don't _screw_ with me _princess_!" Natsu got closer, grabbing the ex-patient by the shirt.

 

"I'm **not** a princess asshat!" Gray fought back, yanking Natsu's head back from his pink hair. For some reason,Gray felt it was dangerous to have the others face to close. “Get away from me!"

 

"Then behave yourself," he huffed and released the business man.

 

"If you ask me, you _both_ have to."

 

Gray and Natsu whipped their heads to the boys at the coffee table. Both giving them annoyed looks that silenced the two adults momentarily.

 

" _Geez_ ," Gray let go of Natsu's hair. "Never thought I'd see the day when a brat tells me that," he chuckled, making the three all stunned. "What?"

 

Rogue blushes faintly but kept his eyes on the new drawing they were creating, Sting more open yet still silent as he kept staring at Gray.

 

" _Nothing_ ," Natsu answered with a grin.

 

The business man wasn't buying it, but he simply shrugged and walk off down the hall, deciding maybe he could rest for only a few minutes before lunch. A few minutes that turned to an hour, and longer that when came to, he jumped up from his spot on his bed looking blanking around his dark room.

 

" _Shit_..." he got up slowly, navigating himself carefully as he felt around for the bedroom door. Once got hold of the door knob, he was welcomed with a bright light shining from the living room.

 

_'They couldn't still be up right?'_

 

He looked behind him to his digital alarm clock.

 

' _Especially not up at midnight_.'

 

Gray licked over his dry lips before turning out into the hallway, venturing to the only light of his home and at the end, seeing the boys lounging unconsciously against each other on his couch.

 

The dark haired man smiled at the sight and made his way over to move them to the bed.

 

It would've been easier if he could carry them both at once, however it deemed difficult with the weight of them both. He's never carried a kid before, never had to. His brother and sister were old enough to wake up and go to bed on their own accord.

 

"Better not throw my back out, brats..." Gray whispered and went for Sting, cradling his head and pulling him up bridle style. His way of sleeping was simply wild. When he placed the blond gently on the bed, he simply splayed his limbs out. A wide open drooling mouth to match. “ _Dude_ ," He took a moment to be amused, then went back for Rogue. Easier to handle but more grabby in his sleep. It took the adult awhile to untangled the youngest arms from around his neck and on the bed. Once that was done, he stretched and went back into the living room, ready to shut off the lights until he spotted a familiar color of pink at the dining room table.

 

"He slept here too?" Gray frowned and walked to the dining room table, noticing it was actually just pink paper with writing on it. He curiously raised a brow and took up the note.

 

' _What exactly couldn't the idiot tell him directly? It's not like he wasn't coming tomor—'_

 

 

(Note)

' ** _I made dinner. It's in the fridge. Erza dropped by because you left your medication in her car._**

**_Ya Dumb ass..._ **

****

**_Look, I’m also sorry for what happened before. I shouldn’t of gone that far. So since I’m apologizing, don’t become a total jerk about it._ **

**_._ **

**_._ **

**_._ **

**_Anyways, Sting and Rogue made you something. I took the liberty of putting it on the fridge._ **

****

**_Don’t over do it._ **

****

**_See you tomorrow, Ice Princess.'_ **

 

Gray kissed his teeth in irritation as he more specifically zoomed on the words dumb ass and princess.

 

"Fuck you _and_ your apology," He half-heartedly fumed and used both hands to crumble the paper, balling it up and pausing to look at the after effect of his work before quickly undoing the damage he's done, fixing it the best he could by using the table to smooth out the wrinkles.

 

It was strange...

 

He ran his thumbs effortlessly over a few large clumps.

 

The letter made him angry, but just as soon as he felt it, the feeling dispersed into what Gray could only recall as happiness and gratitude.

 

When he looked beyond the jerks name calling, what Natsu did was genuinely nice.

 

He didn't have to cook dinner for him, just the boys. Nor did he have to stay as long as he did.

 

The fact someone thought about him, made his cheeks burn and heart throb.

 

As he looked over the ruined note again, Gray bit his lip shyly and folded it neatly to put in his pocket. Then he shuffled his feet to the kitchen, peeking in as if it wasn't his own and moved around the corner to stand and lean comfortably on the counter opposite from the fridge.

 

The business man didn't know what to do right now. _Especially_ now that he had two things that made him just so damn happy.

 

Gray covered his mouth with his left hand, the right rubbing gently at the texture of the pink paper while he gazed at the drawing hung on the freezer door.

 

It was three dragons, the middle a red and black dragon roaring a swirling of what Gray assumed to be black and red fire. Then there was one dragon on each side of the middle one. A simple red one he knew Sting had to have drawn on the left and for Rogue, a black one on the right. They were the same dragons they drew before. The only difference was they were all holding hands.

 

...

 

Gray let out a soft laugh.

 

" _How_ do dragons hold hands anyway?" He pleasantly hummed, feeling a smile behind his fingertips that he doubt would leave anytime soon.


	8. Chapter 8

When he said his smile wouldn't leave that soon, he greatly contradicted himself.

Due to his injury, he called out sick. His boss wasn’t happy to hear about his absence, especially when the construction of a new piece was well on its way.

 

This worried him.

 

With the given work it'll create, his boss might pass his responsibilities to someone else. That being an issue, if that person happens to do his job more well then he has thus far.

" _Fuck_ ," Gray slouched tiredly in one of his dining room chairs, originally waiting for the bacon to bake and pancakes to rise. Although now, waiting for his phone to ring and depression to sink in from demotion.

While Gray was stuck in thought, Rogue, always the early riser, padded from the hall towards the living room. An oversized sleeve, hiding the balled fist he rubbed his right eye with.

"Gray..." he called, losing his usual formality in the grogginess of sleep. "Something smells...bad."

The business man blinked when he registered the child's words and fully comprehended its meaning when he smelt the slight burn tingle his nostrils.

"FUCK!" He leapt up from his seat into the kitchen and snatched the spatula from the counter, flipping the steaming pancakes he left alone for too long. Thankfully it wasn't charcoal black. It apparently was more of the oil burning on the pan than anything, which meant he had to turn the temp on the stove down a bit. Other than that, everything was fine.

"Is everything okay?" Rogue popped his head around the corner of the kitchen doorway, half-lidded eyes filled with drowsy worry. That, in itself was strangely adorable to Gray who stared adoringly at the child before his present task clicked and he was again, flipping pancakes but this time onto a plate.

"Yeah," Gray finally answered. "Why don't you get back to bed? You still seem tired," he suggested and administered more batter to take place of the finished pancakes he made. "I'm not close to finished here."

 

"But...it's time before you have to leave," he pouted in response, taking the adult aback.

"You wake up early to see me off?"

Rogue nodded and leaned sluggishly over the threshold.

 _'So he's not an early riser at all..._ ' Gray notes and set the spatula down, letting the new batch sit while he kneeled by Rogue.

"I'm not going for the rest of this week," Gray found himself smiling, Rogue brightening up to the best of his ability despite his nodding off. "So go back to bed," he ruffled the child's hair and made moves to sit up before Rogue grabbed him by the hem of his shirt.

"I'm...gonna stay awake," he said determined, frowning despite how one of his eyes drifted to a close.

"Well...go wash up then."

The raven haired nodded and maneuvered himself to follow through the task given to him. 

Gray shook his head in amusement and proceeded to stand once again, getting a cloth in one hand and holding the oven open with the other. He hissed at the radiating heat as he leaned in and reached for the pan, bacon sizzling a perfect juicy color on the sheet when Gray took it full out and set it one the free space on the stove top. Then quickly shut the oven door and turnt it off. Sweating partiall from that two minute procedure.

"Fucking hate the heat," he complained but shrugged off how much more sweatier he got from the pan he flipped pancakes on. "Now I need to wash up," Gray grumbled, heart skipping a beat when he heard his front door unlock of it's own accord. "What?" He held up the spatula in a defensive position, foot steps moving his direction.

 

' _Who's that?_ '

 

After a bit of suspense, Gray eased close to the turn by the doorway, seeing the shadow of the intruder and then the pants leg and before the business man saw anything else, he swat the stranger with the oily plastic spatula. His eyes screwed shut for a bit when he landed the blow, then popped open to see who it was. His jaw dropped in astonishment and his hands instinctually withdrew as did he a few steps to give the babysitter some space.

Natsu was bewildered, then when moved his cheek and ran a finger on the oil, he broke out into a laugh.

"What the hell?" He turned his eyes intensely on Gray. "You'd fight _me_ with a spatula?"

The pink haired praised himself mentally when seeing the impact his words brought to his eyes.

 

A flushed to the ears Gray Fullbuster.

 

Now Natsu saw him in his sexiest and cutest moments.

 

It was weird he found that to be an achievement.

 

"Sh-shut up!" Gray glared defensively at the other, with both hands still clutching tightly to the spatula that Natsu lost the urge to try and be angry with the man's cheap shot. "I was...surprised _okay_?" He let one hand free to rub at the back of his neck, embarrassment the one emotion he hated to experience. Especially now, in front of Natsu.

 

"I can see that," the babysitter stepped in closer, a smug grin on his face that just egged on Gray's frustration to still being embarrassed about what happened.

 

"Shut up," Gray said again, turning to the sink to the watch the spatula and dry it with the other side of the cloth he used to take out the bacon. "How'd you get my key?"

 

Natsu snickered only briefly, giving the owner of the apartment room to breath after what just happened.

 

"Erza made me a copy while you were comatose," he simply explained and Gray whipped his head in horror to face Natsu, not at all phased by his reaction. "She said you'd lock me out when you felt like it."

 

"Fuck..." the business man scoffed and went to flip the pancakes before he forgot about them again.

 

It seemed the f-word was going to be a daily reoccurring word in his vocabulary today.

 

"I'm gonna have to take the key from you."  

 

"And she made more copies," Natsu humorously countered.

 

It was as Erza predicted.

 

"Then I'll just change my damn locks!"

 

"She said if you do that, I won't babysit the kids for you anymore."

 

"FUCK!" Gray slammed down his free hand on the counter, looking astound at Natsu's quick responses. All while the man held the same grin, though softer from this conversation.

 

' _It...made him look charming?'_

 

Gray blinked back his ridicules thought and kissed his teeth.

 

"There's no winning for me, now is there?"

 

Natsu hummed in response, not needing to dignify the truth as Gray already knew it.

 

" _Fine_ ," he relented.

 

"Natsu!" Rogue called excitedly, wide awake to race over and hug at the babysitters leg. He was in a different pair of baggy clothes now.

 

"The hell," Gray raised a brow. "He was dead tired a moment ago."

 

"That's cuz you're boring~" Natsu teases and leaned down to ruffle the ravens hair. "Where's blonde?"

 

"Sleep," Rogue replies, smiling happily.

 

"Well let's wake the stinker," he smirked evilly and Rogue not at all reluctant, agreed and followed after Natsu to Grays room.

 

"It was peaceful," The business man huffed, not as bothered as he was trying to be about it. He smiled pleasantly as he put two more pancakes on a plate upon hearing Sting's astonishing scream and muddled laughter. "I have neighbors ya know!”

 

A few minutes and seven more pancakes later, Gray was becoming impatient. They've been in his room for way too long considering Natsu was with them. So he dumped the dirty dishes in the sink for washing later and crept out the kitchen to venture towards his room.

 

"Guys," he called, the children running out the room as swift as possible, catching him off guard. However, Natsu seemed not to follow after. "Natsu?" Gray entered his room, only to have his pleasant mood filter out to sudden anger. "What...are you doing?"

 

Natsu jolted out of his daze, photo album in hand almost falling to the floor if not for the pink hairs quick reflexes.

 

"Let go of that!" Gray snapped and charged close enough to yanked Natsu by the collar, glaring intensely with an unreadable swirl of emotion in his eyes. Natsu didn't get the intensity at all, but if he has to guess, it was too complicated for him to get involved with right now.

 

"Calm down will ya," Natsu grabbed at Gray's wrist, gritting his teeth in annoyance. "Let me go _dammit_ ," he ordered more calmly than he anticipated.

 

"Don't you **ever**...," Gray didn't only glare daggers, he was trying to engraved his words through the others head. "...touch _this_ again," he said icily and before Natsu knew it, the picture album was snatched out of his hands, eyes wide in surprise.

 

"What's the deal with it?" Natsu asked curiously, frowning when the other stayed clutched right at his shirt. "And I said _let go_ , Gray."

 

The business man bit his lip in some sort of reassurance and let the man go, pushing away roughly and turning away to put the album under the mattress where he left it.

 

"It's none of your business pinky," he replied, trying to instill humor after he created such a tense moment.

 

"I've been wondering this for awhile," Natsu started, deciding it was best to forgo the subject since indeed, it was none of his business. "Why don't the boys have clothes that fit them?"

 

Grays shoulders tense, averting his eyes nervously.

 

"Their mom, when she dropped them off I had to use my siblings clothes I had in storage," he said and set his hands on his hips. "I haven't gotten around to buying any new."

 

"Hm," the pink haired rubbed at his chin, a wide smile traveling to his face. "You've got money, why don't we go today?"

 

"I'm on bed rest," he declined, wanting to keep his wallet safe, as well as get some work done. Whether or not he was actually getting along with the boys, didn't mean he wanted to be around them for long periods of time.

 

"Then give me your credit card," Natsu raised a brow, holding his hand out while Gray blinked away his horror.

 

"Why would I trust you with that?!"

 

"I watch your kids Gray, I think that deserves more trust than a credit card."

 

"Bullshit!" The black haired threw his hands up in exasperation. "First it's my house key, now my card? Next I'll be forced to put you on my lease!"

 

Natsu narrowed his eyes at him, awaiting for the plastic in his hands.

 

"I said _no_ sulfur breath."

 

"Then go with us," he huffs and folds his arms.

 

"I **refuse**. I have shit to do," Gray argues and Natsu kissed his teeth in annoyance.

 

"Then make taking care of _your_ kids one of them!"

 

Gray furrowed his brow, a reminisce held in what Natsu just told him.

 

‘ _You’re the oldest Gray, taking care of your siblings is your priority!’_

 

He **hated** it.

 

The feeling of **obligation**.

 

His brother and sister were a different story, now he had to do it for kids he didn't make or adopt. It was **frustrating**.

 

It was just so frustrating, that a sharp pain coursed through his head, making him wince and painfully pinch the bridge of his nose as he hunched over slightly.

 

" _Fine_ ," he caved, ignoring the flood of worry come onto others face. "Just do what you want," Gray gently sat himself on the bed, grabbing the sides of his pounding head and shutting his eyes to will it away. "Go feed them."

 

"Gray," Natsu called softly, kneeling to look at the others face. "Did you take your medication?"

 

The business man gently nodded, eyes beginning to burn when he opened them to look at the calm face before him. He grit his teeth, hating the mixed messages his heart had for the babysitter.

 

One moment he wanted to strangle him, the next he wanted to feel those warm reassuring hands around him.

 

"I'll get the pain killers then," Natsu advised. "So don't worry, it'll be alright. You just rest after taking them. We'll discuss things later."

 

The last sentence made Gray want to strangle him.

 

Why the fuck did he have to discuss how to use _his_ money?!

 

_Fucking bas—_

 

"Shit," he hissed and blew out a shaky breath. "Get them..." he said defeated. " _Please_..."

 

"On it."

 

Gray saw Natsu’s face disappear from his field of vision but vaguely heard the rapid movement of feet around his room before the pink hair came into view again.

 

"Take it," Natsu said and took Gray's right hand to put two pills in it, then moved away to give the other some space.

 

"Go feed them," Gray repeated, letting the left side of his head go to reach for and grab the water bottle he left in the room yesterday night on the nightstand. "I'll take this and rest a bit."

 

The babysitter frowned.

 

"I'll do that and check on you later," he said matter of factly and left, closing the bedroom door gently behind him.

 

"Whatever man," Gray scoffs and popped the pills in his mouth, quickly unscrewing the lid of the water bottle and chugging down the offensive chalky tablets down his throat. When he felt they went down completely, he closed up the bottle and fell back on the bed. Water slushing in his gut.

 

That album...

 

He turned on his side, squeezing the plastic within his hand.

 

"I should burn it," He muttered lowly, shutting his eyes to rest for awhile.

 

 

**...A few hours later...**

 

 

It was like Déjà Vu when he woke up again, sleeping longer than he intended.

 

Those pills really knock him out.

 

Gray ran his hand through his hair, smacking his lips together at its unusual dryness and registering the subtle rumble from his stomach.

 

The sun was still out. So maybe he slept till late morning?

 

He got up from his place on the bed and adventured out his room.

 

All the lights were off except for the filtering sun through his blinds.

 

‘ _Don't tell me...’_

 

Gray hastily took off towards his briefcase, popping the top open and searching through his files of work.

 

Upon a ten minute search, this much was clear.

 

Natsu took his wallet, as well as the boys.

 

The business man slammed his case shut, glaring furiously at his front door.

 

Cues the headaches once again.


	9. Exposing Two Odds

There was a deep throb of pain from the riding confusion within his heart. The conflicting sides on whether to act off his emotions, or strategically rally the odds it wasn't what he thought. Yet how can he avoid what lays vivid in his memory?

 

The scars.

 

There were multiple, different shape and form given the sick creativity put into each afflicting mark.

 

Natsu didn't think Gray was _capable_ of such a thing, having abused children and put up a false staging as if he was new at the whole father thing. Now the pink haired saw him as nothing but a business man with two puppies he neglects to slaughter—upon the difficulty of their burial. Better yet, the procedure proving a hindrance to his busy schedule.

 

The babysitter clutched his head in great disdain, tightening his hold on his locks of hair as he came into the daycare he worked at. It was midnight but he knew she'd still be around. If not, the placed would be locked up as it was not right now.

 

"Erza," he calls in a weakened voice, navigating himself towards the filtering light through the creaked door of the redheads office; further back into the daycare. His hand gently pushed at the wood, eyes taking in the woman seemingly still awake on the helps of her will power and caffeine alone. She wasn't all there to notice him while she tapped away at the keys of her laptop, however, once the man took a step in, she shifts her gaze to him. Not once halting her moving finger tips.

 

"It's late," she started and looks back to her screen, Natsu taking that as an invitation to sit in.

 

"I know," he replied and took up a seat in front of her desk, leaning forward on his knees to look down at the purple rug beneath his feet. "So what's your excuse?"

 

Erza finally halted her ministration to close up her laptop and give her friend her full attention.

 

"Tying up lose ends."

 

" _Of_?"

 

"A _personal_ project for now," she concludes on her own and Natsu indirectly did as he was told and left well enough alone for now. "Why are you here?"

 

...

 

" _I_..." Natsu sat up and released a heavy sigh once his back was against the chair. "Gray is... _no_ ," he stopped himself, needing to word his concerns correctly without directly confessing to something he may not have proof of. "Rogue and Sting are being a abused."

 

The redhead woke up a large fraction and furrows her brow in concern.

 

"By whom?"

 

Natsu bit his lip, hating how he became so weak under the weight of this situation.

 

"I don't know," he admits, wanting to keep his claims to himself for the time being.

 

" _Natsu_ ," she began and folded her arms on her desk, expression soft upon seeing the mild distress her friend was in. "Whatever leads you to believe they're being harmed isn't wrong. However what I need you to do is tell me what you saw."

 

"Okay," Natsu looks up to meet her eyes a bit more easily than before. "I took the kids shopping since they didn't have shit that fit them right," he summarized to give her a lead in. "We jumped from store to store, them trying things on and buying what was good to have. Through that I noticed the boys were getting tired. So that must’ve caused the slip up. In the last store, Rogue left his dressing room door open a creak and I saw from the mirror the scars on his back. They looked like burns near his shoulders and lower, scratch marks." He balled his hands into fists, averting his eyes as if he was to be ashamed. "I didn't say anything. They looked so happy...like they hadn't been out like that in a while."

 

"Did you say anything to Gray?" She asked.

 

" _No_ ," Natsu frowns. " I dropped them off and left right away. I didn't want to cause a scene without knowing the truth."

 

"And what do _you_ feel is the truth, Natsu?" Erza questions.

 

"Well," he met her gaze again, her eyes shone bright and intense despite her fatigue. "I don't believe Gray has the balls to do it...but that can be said for many others who are actually guilty for doing so."

 

"You're right," she nodded. "Even though he may be my friend, I cannot tolerate this."

 

Natsu held his breath, knowing what was to come when she reached for her cellphone but stops mid-way.

 

"Although like you," she continued. "I don't believe he could have done it. More than believe. I know he didn't."

 

The pink hairs eyes widen as he jumped out of his chair, slamming his hand on her desk angrily.

 

"Why didn't you say so before instead of leading me on?!" He scowls but the woman only smirked in return to his outburst. " _Dammit_ Erza..."

 

"Gray just received them not to long ago," Erza paused, Natsu folding his arms as he listens. "I was the first he made known of his situation. For as long as I knew him, I've never seen any signs of children or heard of them from him. Therefore, whoever dumped them on him had to be the abuser."

 

"Basically you're saying the mother," Natsu tilt his head when Erza denied him. " _Who_ then?"

 

"We don't know for sure who did it."

 

"Come on! Who else could've? Where else could he of gotten them from? Their _his_ kids Erza."

 

"I know but he only told me he found them at his front door, waiting for him."

 

"UGH," Natsu threw his hands up on exasperation and deflates back in the chair he settles in previously. " _What_ then?"

 

"I don't know," she shrugs. "I want to know just as much as you but if we call someone, there's no telling what they'll do. The kids seem okay so far, _right_?"

 

"Yeah," he sighs in frustration. "They seem to like the jerk for some reason."

 

Erza's smirk from before resurfaced and grew.

 

"And so do you, _Natsu_."

 

The said man chokes on his next words in surprise.

 

She was insinuating something he didn't want to think about.

 

"I _tolerate_ him," he states flatly, brows furrowed in slight confusion why he felt hurt by his own denial. "He's a huge pain in my ass."

 

"Maybe because you wish he was up there," Erza snorts and to her amusement, Natsu blushes.

 

"If _anything_ , I'd be topping that popsicle..." he paused, then shook his head at his words. "No, I mean I'd be the _dominant_. Not anything with popsicles involved..."

 

The red head shrugs, waving off his embarrassment.

 

"Whatever you say Natsu. Besides that, is there anything else you need?"

 

The pink haired grunts and folds his arms to think about it.

 

"Not that I know of, but this is a big issue." He resumed his previous sense of seriousness and unease.

 

"I _know_. If you want to do something about it yourself you should just ask Gray out."

 

...

 

Natsu flushed as pink as his hair, eyes glaring at his boss and best friend.

 

"You know what I was referring to! Don't mess with me!" He declares while pointing an accusing finger her way.

 

"Whatever you say Natsu," she repeats and begins the resume of her work, a knowing smirk on her face.

 

"Damn you," he huffed in defeat. "See ya then. Keep me posted."

 

"You do the same, _farewell_."

 

With a brief wave, Natsu escorted himself out the daycare and back to his truck. Once he was in the drivers seat, the man sank low into his seat, his face burning. He moves his hands up to his face and covers over his cheek to rub frantically at the sensation.

 

He went to see Erza for an important reason yet he left reassured, lost, and embarrassed.

 

' _What_ _if_ _she's_ _right_?'

 

Natsu sighed heavily and gave himself a moment to image being close to Gray in that way. The last girlfriend he had was Lisanna and that didn't even last a month. It ended on good terms of course, however, it did _bother_ him that she still could only see him as a friend after all they've done. After all she was the one who asked him. Soon after he just gave up on dating for awhile and fully dedicated himself to helping Erza out in her daycare. Now that the concept of dating arises again, he could actually see himself going out with Gray. The thought didn't detest him at all. Knowing that slightly bothered him. _Why_? Well it would be impossible to get a man like _that_ to consider him at all.

 

He helped put the guy in the hospital when he only just started working for him.

 

"What a mess," he mutters and sat up, putting his hands on the steering wheel.

 

The babysitter was worried about Gray and even more so the boys, but how can he do anything about it if the chances of getting Gray arrested and having the boys put into child care were that high? He could ask the boys about it or even maybe Gray but it wasn't a huge guarantee he'd get much from them. Gray was stubborn and the boys distanced themselves when they get uncomfortable.

 

Dealing with his romantic feelings would have to wait despite how easy it would be to admit he liked the princess.

 

For now he should prepare for the business mans fury when they meet tomorrow.

 

He still had his credit card.


End file.
